# Lucky Miles

Lucky Miles is a 2007 Australian drama feature film based on several true stories involving people entering Western Australia by boat in order to seek asylum. Its director was Michael James Rowland and its producers were Jo Dyer and Lesley Dyer.

## Synopsis

In 1990, an Indonesian fishing boat drops a group of male Iraqi and Cambodian refugees on the West Australian coast, telling them there is a bus stop over the hill from which they will be able to go to Perth. They soon realise that there is no bus stop, and that they are in fact a remote desert area far from any road, town or city. Most of the group find their way to a small town pub, and are rounded up by local police. A group of three men, two Cambodian and one Arab, are left to their own devices. They begin a journey through the desert, completely disoriented and attempting to reach either Perth or Broome. Meanwhile a group of Army Reservists, including two Indigenous Australian men, are attempting to track them in a Land Rover.

## Cast

* Kenneth Moraleda - Arun
* Rodney Afif - Youssif
* Sri Sacdpreseuth - Ramelan
* Don Hany - Plank
* Glenn Shea - O'Shane
* Sean Mununggurr - Tom
* Sawung Jabo - Muluk
* Arif Hidayat - Abdu
* Deborah Mailman - Lisa
* Majid Shokor - Salah
* Osamah Sami - Fiark
* Edwin Hodgeman - Coote
* Gillian Jones - Chris
* Gerard Kennedy - Shooter
* Geoff Morrell - Peter Coode

## Production

Shot on location in South Australia and Cambodia Lucky Miles is the feature debut from Adelaide-born Michael James Rowland. With a script developed by Rowland's company Puncture, Lucky Miles is produced by Jo Dyer and Lesley Dyer, co-written by Helen Barnes, shot by cinematographer Geoff Burton, edited by Henry Dangar, music supervision by WOMAD's Artistic Director Thomas Brooman, scored by percussionist Trilok Gurtu and executive produced by Michael Bourchier. Lucky Miles is presented by Film Finance Corporation Australia, Short of Easy, The South Australian Film Corporation and the 2007 Adelaide Film Festival.

## Release

Lucky Miles premiered on opening night of the 2007 Adelaide Film Festival.
Lucky Miles also screened at world cinema festivals, including Jerusalem, Womad, Pusan, Chicago, AFI (USA) and the Amazonas Film Festival in Manaus. Lucky Miles opened in Australia mid-July and was released internationally during 2007. CineClick Asia is the film's global releasing company and Lucky Miles is distributed on DVD (Region Four) by Madman, released on 7 December 2007. Lucky Miles was shown in the 10th 2008 Philippines Cinemanila International Film Festival at Malacañan Palace's Kalayaan Hall. Kenneth Moraleda won the Vic Silayan Award for best actor.

## Reception

Reviews of the film were featured in Variety, The Age and The Advertiser.

## Box office

Lucky Miles grossed $678,110 at the box office in Australia.

## Accolades

The film won the following awards:
* Audience Award for Best Film at the 2007 Sydney Film Festival
* Special Jury Prize at the 42nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic
* Best Screenplay at the Vladivostok International Film Festival, an award that carries with it a Russian publishing deal
* Black Pearl for Best New Director at the Middle East International Film Festival, worth AED300,000 in cash
* Grand Prix at the 9th Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes in Saint-Tropez, France
* Best Film at the 3rd Asian Festival of First Films in Singapore
It was nominated for the following awards:
* Best Screenplay at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards
* Best Film and Best Screenplay at the 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards
* Best Film and Screenplay at the 2007 IF Awards